Song Hong, an experienced drone operator in Beijing, is anxiously waiting for his license.

Song and 45 others, having passed theoretical exams and flight tests, are ready to become China's first group of certificated flyers of unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly known as drones.

The civil UAV industry is ready to take off in China in the face of huge demand. China's general aviation sector could hardly be less developed and is unable to meet the needs of all kinds of customers, from disaster relief to crop dusting.